Latching device



E 20, 1932. G. H. EDWARQS 1 891324 LATCHING DEVICE Filed Oct. 51, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l l v 5, w

, INVENTOR WlTNESSES fiagqelfi waidi 5 4/ 7 5 B ZZZzcTJ ATTORNEY Patented cc. 2, 1932 I entrant @FFHQE GEORGE E. EDWARDS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK LATCHING DEVICE Application filed October 31, 1931.

This invention relates to latching devices for doors and other closures having swinging or pivotal movement.

One of the objects of the invention is the provision of a device of the indicated character having improved means for preventing rattling and vibration of the closure member.

A feature of this-invention is the use in a locking device of a rotating engaging element, or elements, provided with means for producing a continual tendency toward rotation in a direction which assures locking v engagement. The engaging surfaces of the rotating element, or elements, are preferably eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation, thereby assuring a positive locking action which is free from rattling in spite of the presence of vibratory forces or shocks. This principle underlies the locking devices dis closed in my co-pending applications Serial No. 534,066, filed April 30, 1931, and Serial No. 552,458, filed July 22, 1931.

Another object of the invention is the provision of an improved keeper means for use in conjunction with a latch bolt carried by a closure or door and which is adapted for cooperative action with such bolt to prevent rattling and vibration, and which also serves to retain the closure or door in a partly open position.-

\Vith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention resides in the particularprovision, combinations and operations of the parts hereinafter fully described and illustrated in'the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a horizontal section illustrating a device of the present invention applied to a doorand its jamb, only portions. of which are shown: 4

Figure 2 is asection on the line' 22 of Figure 1, one of the bearing plates having been detached;

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, but shows the latch bolt in a position in relation to the keeper to hold the door partly open;

Figure 4 shows another type of latch device applied to a closure section latched in a closed position;

Serial 1110. 572,359.

is shown a closure or door 10 and its amb 11.

It is to be understood that the door will be mounted for swinging movement to an opened and closed position in relation to the jamb 11. The jamb 11 has a plurality of resilient bufi' ers 12 against which the closing edge of the door closes. The door 10 carries a latch memher, or bolt 13 which is mounted thereon for sliding movement into a projected or latching position and a retracted position. An

expansion spring 14 surrounds the bolt 13 and has one end thereof in engagement with a shoulder 15 on the bolt and its opposite end is in engagement with a lug 16 which supports one end of the bolt. A stop 17 carried by the lug 16 is engaged by the shoulder 15 of the bolt to limit the movement of the latter to a retracted position. The spring 14 acts constantly to urge the bolt 13 to its bolting .or latching position. The bolt 13 is moved to its retracted position by a handle 8 lever 18 carried by the door 10. The lever 18 has a lug 19 which engages the bolt to move the latter upon movement of the hand lever.

In accordance with the principal feature of the invention there is provided an improved form of keeper means which is applied to the jamb 11. This keeper means consists of the parts presently to be described. Use is made .of a base plate 20 having a formation 21 thereon which provides a stop or abutment 22, spaced stops 23 and a cam 24. Use is made of bearing plates 25 which are fastened to the door jamb and over bolt 20. The plates 25 and the plate 20 are secured in place by a suitable fastening element such as screws 26 driven into the door jamb. The portion of the door jamb which receives the plates 20 and 25 is suitably cut out so that these plates may properly be set intoplace and will not abut beyond the jamb. The plates 25 are arranged in spaced relation to each other. A pair of cooperative keeper members 27 are employed, the same being arranged between the plates 25, respectively, and the plate 20 in relation to the stops 23. Each keeper member 27 has pivotal movement on a pivot screw 28 which extends through the related plate 25 and the plate 20 and is driven into the amb 11. A retractile spring 29 is employed in conjunction with each keeper member 27 and has one end connected with the keeper member as at 30, and its opposite end connected with a fastener 31 secured to the jamb 11. The curved edge 32 of each keeper member 27 is arcuate and is eccentric with respect to the pivot 28. Each spring 29 continually acts to cause the pivotal movement of the related keeper member toward the related stop 23 which is engaged by the keeper member to thus limit its movement. In other words, the upper spring 29 has a tendency to continually urge the pivotal movement of the related keeper member 27 in a clockwise direction, and the lower spring 29 has a tendency to continually urge its keeper member 27 in a counter-clockwise direction. The keeper members 27 normally project in the path traversed by the bolt 13 as the door 10 is swung into its closed position. As the door 10 is swung to its closed position, the bolt 13 which is projected by the spring 14 will encounter the cam 24 of plate 20 thereby causing the bolt 13 to slide endwise to a somewhat retracted position. During the continued movement of the door 10 to its closed position, the bolt 13 again assumes its projected position after passing beyond the abutment 22, by reason of the reaction of the spring 14, and will then encounter the keeper members 27 causing them to move on their pivots 28. \Vhen the door 10 is in the closed position in engagement with the buffers 12, the engaging surface of the bolt 13 in a projected position will be constantly acted on by the edges, or bearing surfaces 32 of the keeper members 27 under the influence of their springs 29. By reason of the fact that each of the curved edges 32 is eccentric to the axis provided by its pivot 28 and that the shortest radius of curvature is that nearest to the bolt 13, just prior to engagement therewith, the bolt 13 will be continually subjected to a camming action by the keeper members 27, during engagement, and in this manner rattling and vibration will be impossible.

By virtue of. the fact that each of the keeper members is rotatable independently of the other, the bolt is rendered self-seating when vibratory forces or shocks are applied to the door or closure. For example, if after locking the door, a sudden downward force be applied to the door, the bolt will move downward slightly, thereby increasing the pressure against the lower keeper member and relieving the pressure against the upper keeper member (see Fig. 2). The upper keeper member will then rotate clockwise until a close engagement is again effect-ed against the bolt, because of the increasing radius of curvature of surface 32 at the point of contact with the bolt when the keeper member rotates in this direction. A similar action of the lower keeper member takes place in the case of an upward thrust on the door. T hus. it will be observed that the condition of vibration produces .a tighter and tighter engagement of the bolt, thereby preventing rattling.

It will be observed that in the locking position, the axis of the bolt 13 is substantially parallel to the axes of rotation of the keeper members and is perpendicular to the direction of motion of the door in closing. Thus the latching member, or bolt 13 presents an engaging surface which extends laterally behind the keeper members, the engaging surfaces being located beyond the line between the centers of rotation of the keeper members, in the direction in which the bolt moves when the door is being closed. By virtue of this position of the bolt with respect to the keeper members, there is a continual tendency to keep the door tight against the jamb, or the butters-12. This tendency to keep the door against the jamb is further increased when the door is subjected to vibratory forces or shocks.

In order to open the door 10 it is necessary to operate the handle lever 18 to retract the bolt 13 to a position to clear the pivoted keeper members 27 and also the abutment 22. The

door may be retained in a partly opened position by allowing the bolt 13 to engage the abutment 22 as shown in Figure 3 of the drawing.

Referring now to Figures 4 to 7, inclusive, it will be apparent that there is shown another form of latching device. This device is employed in conjunction with a closure section, such as the hinged section of the hood of an automobile, The closure section is designated 35. This form of latch device includes a latch element 36 which has pivotal movement on a horizontal pivot 37 carried by the section near the lower edge thereof. The section 35 is provided with an opening to receive the latch element 36. The latch element 36 has an eye member 38. The latch element 36 also has a curved edge 39 which is eccentric with respect to its pivot 37. The latch element 36 cooperates with a keeper element 40 which is fixed by screws 41 to the frame 42 of the automobile. The keeper element 40 is bifurcated to receive the member 38 and has curved edges 43 which are engaged by the edge 39 of the element 36. The latch element 36 is also engageable with a stop 44 forming a part of the keeper element 40. A leaf spring ment 36. The provision and arrangement of 7 parts is such that when the closure section 35 is in its closed position the spring 45 will urge the latch element 36 in a counter-clockwise direction on its pivot thereby enabling the latch element 36 to be engaged with the keeper element the curved edge 39 of the element 36 cooperating with the curved edges 43 of the element 40 to limit the movement of the latch element 36 and at the same time maintaining the engagement of the latch element 36 with the keeper element 40. In order to move the closure section 35 to an opened position, it is merely necessary to grip the eye member 38 and exert an upward pulling force thereon, which will release the latch element 36 from the keeper element 40, as indicated in Figure 5, whereupon the closure section 35 may be moved or raised to its opened position. In order to produce the locking action, it is simply necessary that the radius of curvature of edge 43 shall decrease downwardly at a lower rate than that of the latch element. It

is easiest tomake edge 43 circular, with the radius of curvature at the pivot 37, as shown in Figs. 4 and 5. If desired, of course, edge 43 may be made the eccentric surface and edge 39 the circular surface.

I claim:

1. A device for use in conjunction with a latch member, said device comprising a fixed member, a pair of cooperative pivoted keeper members on said fixed member, and resilient means which cooperates with each of said keeper members, the provision and arrangement being such that the keeper members are operatively yielding under the pressure exerted by the latch member moving into its latching position, and the keeper members being provided with eccentric bearing sur faces which engage with said latch member, whereby said keeper members are adapted to exert a camming action on said latch member while the latter is in its latching position, the engaging surface of said latch member being approximately parallel to the pivotal axes of said keeper members, and said latch member whemin the latching position being located beyond the line between the centers of said pivoted members in the direction of motion of said latch member toward the latching position, whereby said eccentric surfaces produce a continual tendency to cause said latch member to move to a tighter latching position.

2. A device for use in conjunction with a latch member mounted on a swinging closure, said device including a fixed member, a keeper member pivotally mounted between its ends on the fixed member, a spring having one end connected with the fixed member and its other end being connected with one end of the keeper member, the provision and arrangement being such, that the keeper member is operatively yielding by the pressure exerted by the latch member to allow said latch member to pass, as the closure is moved to its closed position but unyielding to allow said latch member to pass in an opening direction, and said keeper member also exerting pressure on said latch member when the closure is in its closed position to retain the latter therein, the axis of said latch member being approximately parallel to the pivotal axis of said keeper member, and said latch member being located beyond the pivotal point of said keeper member in the direction in which said closure moves in closing.

3. A device for use in conjunction with a latch member mounted on a swinging closure,

said device including cooperative keeper members mounted for pivotal movement in relatively opposite directions, and means acting on said keeper members and having a tendency to continually urge the relative opposite movement of said keeper members, the provision and arrangement being such, that the keeper members are operatively yielding under the pressure exerted by the latch member to allow said latch member to pass beyond the line between the centers of the pivots of said keeper members, as the closure is moved to its closed position, and said keeper members exert pressure on said latch member when the closure is in its closed position to positively retain the latter therein, the engaging surface of said latch member being approximately perpendicular to the direction of motion of said closure.

4. A device for use in conjunction with a latch member mounted on a swinging closure, said device including cooperative keeper members mounted for pivotal movement in relatively opposite directions, means acting on said keeper members and having a tendency to continually urge the relative opposite movement of said keeper members, and means to oppose the action of the aforesaid means to limit the movement of said keeper members to a set relation from which they may be moved by said latch member, the provision and arrangement being such, that the keeper members are operatively yielding under the pressure exerted by the latch member to allow said latch member to pass, as the closure is moved to its closed position, and said keeper members exert pressure on said latch member when the closure is in its closed position to retain the latter therein, said keeper members having engaging surfaces which are eccentric to their axes of rotation, and said latching member, when in a latching position being beyond said axes of rotation, whereby there is continually exerted a force tending toward tighter closing of said closure.

5. A device for use in conjunction with'a latch member mounted on a swinging closure,

said device including cooperative keeper members mounted for pivotal movement in relatively opposite directions, said keeper members having surfaces eccentric to their pivotal axes, and means acting on said keeper members and having a tendency to constantly urge the relative opposite movement of said keeper members, the provision and arrangement being such, that the keeper members are operatively yielding under the pressure exerted by the latch member to allow said latch member to pass beyond the line between the centers of their pivotal axes, as the closure is moved toits closed position, and said keeper members exert pressure on said latch member by reason of said eccentric surfaces when the closure is in its closed position, to retain the latter therein, the engaging surface of said latch member being approximately perpendicular to the direction of motion of said closure.

6. A lock con'iprising a bolt and a rotatable keeper member for engagement with said bolt, said keeper member having an arcuate surface which engages with said-bolt when in the locking position, and means for producing a tendency of said keeper member to rotate in the direction which will maintain the engagement between said keeper memberand said bolt, said bolt, when in the latching position having its longitudinal axis approximately parallel to the axis of rotation of said keeper member and being located beyond said axis of rotation in the direction of latching.

7. A lock according to claim 6 wherein the arcuate surface of said keeper member is eccentric with respect to its axis of rotation.

8. A lock for fastening a closure member to a fixed member, said lock comprising a bolt, a rotatable keeper member and means for producing a continual tendency of said keeper member to rotate, said bolt being attached to one of the first two mentioned members and said keeper member being attached to the other of the first two mentioned members, the arrangement being such that during the closing of said closure member, said bolt comes into contact with a first surface of said keeper member, thereby causing it to rotate in a direction counter to that due to said continual tendency, and upon further closing of saidclosure member, said bolt engages a second surface of said keeper member, whereupon said keeper rotates in the direction due to said continual tendency, whereby the locking position is effected, said bolt, when in the latching position, being generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said keeper member and being located beyond said axis in the direction said closure moves in closing.

9. A lock according to claim 8 wherein said second surface of said keeper member is an arcuate surface eccentric to the axis of rotation of said keeper member, whereby a jamming effect is produced between said bolt and said keeper member.

10. A look comprising a bolt, a pair of rotatable keeper members and means tending to cause said keeper members to rotate in opposite relative directions, said keeper members being located opposite each other and said bolt having an engaging portion in engagement with a bearing surface of each of said keeper members said portion being located beyond the line between the axes of rotation of said keeper members, when in the latching position, said bearing surfaces being eccentric with respect to the axes of rotation of said keeper members in such a manner that there exists a continual tendency for each of said keeper members to move into tighter engagement withsaid bolt portion, due to said continual tendency toward rotation.

11. A lock for locking a closure member to a jamb member, said lock comprising a bolt attached to a first of said members and a pair of rotatable keeper members attached to the second of said members, said keeper members having arcuate bearing surfaces eccentric to their axes of rotation, the longitudinal axis of said bolt being substantially parallel to said arcuate bearing surfaces, and means producing a continual tendency of said keeper members to rotate, the arrangement being such that when said closure member is closed against said jamb member said bolt is in contact with each of said arcuate bearing surfaces, said tendency of rotation of said keeper members being so related to said eccentric surfaces that there is a constant jamming effect between said keeper members and said bolt, which prevents rattling, compensates for wear and causes said closure member to .move tighter against said jamb.

12. A lock according to claim 11 in which said bolt, when in the locking position, is located beyond the line between the centers of rotation of said keeper member, in the direction in which said bolt moves when said closure member is being closed, whereby there is a continual tendency for said closure member to effect tighter contact with said jamb.

13. A lock according to claim 11 in which the rotation of each of sa d keepers is independent of the rotation of the other, whereby said bolt readily assumes a tight locking engagement with said keepers.

14. A locking device for use in conjunction with a latch member, said device comprising a fixed member, a pair of co-operative keeper members pivoted on said fixed member having attached'thereto a jamb so that they are rotatable thereon, and resilient means operatively associated with said keeper members, said latch member being attached to a closure and having an engaging portion arranged with respect to said keeper members so that said keeper members are operatively yielding under the pressure exerted by said latch member moving into its latching position, said keeper members being provided with arcuate bearing surfaces which engage with said latch member, said bearing surfaces being eccentric to the respective pivots, whereby said keeper members are adapted to exert a camming action on said latch member while said latch member is in its latching position, said engaging portion of said latching member, when in the latching position being beyond the line between the centers of rotation of said keeper members in the direction of latching and having an engaging surface which extends laterally behind said keeper members.

15. A locking device according to claim 14 in which said pivoted keeper members are rotatable independently of each other.

16. A look comprising a bolt and a rotatable keeper member for engagement with said bolt, said bolt, when in the locking position assuming a position beyond the axis of rotation of said keeper member in the direction of locking. said keeper member having an arcuate surface which engages with said bolt when in the locking position, means producing a tendency of said keeper member to rotate to a position which will cause said arouate surface to obstruct the path of said bolt in the disengaging direction and means for disengaging said bolt from said keeper member.

17. A lock comprising a bolt and a rotatable keeper member for engagement with said bolt. said keeper member having an arcuate surface which engages with said bolt when in the locking position, means for producing a tendency of said keeper member to rotate in the direction which will maintain the engagement between said keeper. member and said bolt, said bolt, when in the latching position, having a portion which extends generally parallel to the axis of rotation of said keeper member and being located behind said keeper member and beyond the axis of rotation in the direction of latching.

18. A lock comprising a bolt and a rotatable keeper member for engagement with said bolt, said keeper member having an arcuate surface which is eccentric with respect to the axis of rotation of said keeper member, which surface engages with said bolt when in the locking position, means for producing a tendency of said keeper member to rotate in the direction which will maintain the engagement between said keeper member and said bolt, said bolt when in the latching position having a ortion which extends laterally behind said keeper member in the direction of latching.

GEORGE H. EDWARDS. 

